2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG wheel

78 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsESP
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
monitors the vehicle's traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting engine output, the ESP works to
stabilize the vehicle. The ESP is especially
useful while driving off and on wet or slip-
pery road surfaces.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster (
page 23) flashes when
the ESP is engaged.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster (page 23) comes on
when you turn the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position2 or press the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice. It
goes out when the engine is running.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ABS/ESP warning lamp
v
flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.iDistronic* is switched off when the ESP
is engaged.

79 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 282).Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle's traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have the drive wheels
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better
grip such as:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravelThe switch is located in the lower part of
the center console.
1ESP switch

Press ESP switch1 until the ABS/ESP
warning lamp v in the instrument
cluster comes on.
ESP is deactivated.
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0
or 1 or KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton in position 0 or 1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front/rear axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.
The ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 378).
Warning!
G
ESP should not be switched off during nor-
mal driving other than in the circumstances
described below. Disabling of the system
will reduce vehicle stability in standard driv-
ing maneuvers.!Turn on the ESP immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.
iDistronic* cannot be activated when
the ESP has been deactivated.


80 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsIf one or more drive wheels are spinning,
the ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster flashes, regardless of the
speed.
Traction control brakes a spinning wheel
even when the ESP is deactivated.
The ESP always operates when you are
braking, even when it has been deactivat-
ed.Switching on the ESP

Press ESP switch1.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in
the instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
When the ABS/ESP warning lamp
v
is
illuminated continuously, the ESP is
switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.


81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
SBC brake system
The SBC brake system combines a hydrau-
lic brake circuit with electronically con-
trolled brake servo assistance. You have
increased braking safety and improved
braking comfort.Warning!
G
Never ignore a brake malfunction indicated
in the speedometer display, for example by
the
;
(USA only) or
3
(Canada only)
indicator lamp. Refer to the “Practical hints”
section (
page 284). Also read and ob-
serve the messages in the instrument clus-
ter multifunction display (
page 299).
Warning!
G
The SBC brake system requires electrical
power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 284)
comes on and warning messages
(
page 299) appear in the multifunction
display while driving. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased!
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 365).

105 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk lid lock automati-
cally when the vehicle is set into motion.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
using the control system (
page 146).
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the vehicle from in-
side using the central locking switches.
This can be useful, for example, if you want
to unlock the passenger door from the in-
side or want to lock the vehicle before
starting to drive.
The central locking switch does not lock or
unlock the fuel filler flap.The switches are located above and be-
tween the center air vents of the air condi-
tioning.
Central locking switches1Locking
2Unlocking
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact ex-
ceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle locks automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more. You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle

is pushed


is on a test stand
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
* with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!
G
You can open a locked door from inside at
any time. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.

107 Controls in detailSeats
Seats
For information on seat adjustment, see
“Seat adjustment” (
page 35).
Easy-entry / exit feature
With the easy-entry/exit feature activated,
the steering wheel tilts upwards and the
driver’s seat moves to the rear.
This allows easier entry into and exit from
the vehicle when the driver’s door is
opened. However, the engine must be
turned off.
When the SmartKey is inserted in the start-
er switch or you have pressed the
KEYLESS-GO* start / stop button once and
the driver’s door is closed, the steering
wheel and the driver’s seat return to their
last set positions.You can activate the following functions:


Steering column:
Only the steering column is adjusted.


Steering column and seat:
The steering column and the seat are
adjusted.
The easy-entry / exit feature can be
switched on or off in the convenience sub-
menu of the control system (
page 148).
Warning!
G
You must make sure that no one can be-
come trapped or injured by the moving
steering wheel and driver’s seat when the
easy-entry/exit feature is activated, the
driver’s door is being opened and the engine
is turned off or the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch. Do not leave chil-
dren unattended in the vehicle, or with ac-
cess to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
open the driver’s door an unintentionally ac-
tivate the easy-entry/exit feature*, which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
iTo cancel seat/steering wheel move-
ment, do one of the following:

Press the seat adjustment switch
(page 35)


Move the steering column stalk
(page 37)


Press the memory button
(page 114)

108 Controls in detailSeatsMoving the seats forward and backward
You can move the seats forward and back
to facilitate loading and unloading.The switch is located on the top side of the
seat.
1Seat forward
2Seat backward
Moving the seat forward

Press switch at1.
Moving the seat backward

Press switch at2.
Lumbar support
You can adjust the contour of the seat’s
lumbar support to best support your spine.
The thumbwheel is located on the lower
side of the seat.
1Thumb wheel
Make sure the ignition is switched on.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
come on.

Set the lumbar support between 0
and 5.
Warning!
G
When moving the seats, be sure that no one
can be caught by them. Never place hands
under seat or near any moving parts during
a seat adjustment procedure. To stop the
seat from moving when potential danger ex-
ists:

press the switch again


move the seat adjustment switch on the
door (
page 34)
!When moving the seats, make sure that
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.

114 Controls in detailMemory function
Memory function
With the memory switch you can store up
to three different settings per SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
The following settings are saved for each
stored position:

Driver’s seat and backrest position


Steering wheel position


Interior rear view mirror position


Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
position


Passenger side exterior rear view mir-
ror position
These key-dependent memory settings
can be deactivated if desired
(
page 149).The memory switch is located on the door.
M Memory button
1, 2, 3 Stored positions

Switch on ignition.
or

Open the respective door.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
come on when the ignition is switched
on.
!Prior to operating the vehicle, the driv-
er should check and adjust the seat
height, seat position fore and aft, and
seat backrest angle if necessary, to en-
sure adequate control, reach and com-
fort. The head restraint should also be
adjusted for proper height. See also the
section on airbags (
page 59) for
proper seat positioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, opera-
tion and comfort. Both the inside and
outside rear view mirrors should be ad-
justed for adequate rear vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small
children should be seated in a properly
secured restraint system that complies
with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard 213.
Warning!
G
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function
while driving could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.